A calm retreat in Glasgow

In the lap of luxury in Glasgow

My mum and I had been looking for a little break away for a while so when the idea of a stay at Glasgow’s swanky Blythswood Square was put to us, we were more than happy to take a trip north of the border.

It ticked all the boxes: a city break, not too far to travel (three hours by train), shops, art galleries, a hotel restaurant and spa – and a night of five star luxury.

The boutique town house hotel occupies one side of leafy Blythswood Square – the centrepiece of upmarket Blythswood Hill and a five minute walk from Glasgow Central train station and the city’s main shopping street.

Set in a row of impressive Georgian terraces, the hotel’s friendly doorman, Alan, was waiting at the bottom of the steps to take us into the grand and welcoming reception.

Like the rest of the residence, which is part of Scotland’s Town House Collection, the foyer strikes a perfect balance between the old and the new, combining Georgian columns, decorative high ceilings and tall windows with modern crushed red velvet booths and a huge chandelier to create a striking first impression.

Even those well-travelled would struggle to stifle a ‘wow’ as they check in. We were shown to our room on the fifth floor, along corridors lined by floor to ceiling windows which offered a panoramic view over the city.

The hotel oozes taste and attention to detail is obvious, no more so than in the bedroom décor. The bathroom is rich brown marble, separated from the rest of the room by a sliding partition hatch above the bath. Soft stone colours, dark wood panelling and a warmly inviting bed make the bedroom area cosy and elegant.

A headboard and cushions made of traditional Harris tweed are a nice nod to the city’s heritage, as is the black and white image above the bed of the Monte Carlo rally which started from the site – the former club house of the Royal Scottish Automobile Club – 50-years-ago.

If you’re tempted to stay in your room – and we were – the management offer ‘TV dinners’, free in-room movies and ‘boozy snoozy’ lunch and dinner packages for those wanting to chill out and soak up the sumptuous surroundings.

For us, the sun was out and the urge to explore was greater and, with an hour and a half to kill before we were booked into the hotel spa (more of this later), we made the brief stroll down the hill to lively Buchanan Street for a quick recce around the shops and tea and shortcake in Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Willow Tea Rooms.

Having consumed more calories than we’d walked off, we returned to Blythswood for more indulgence in the hotel spa. Mine came in the shape of an iLA Rainsforest Renewal facial which captures the collagen boosting effects of Amazonian plant extracts to leave your skin tighter and brighter.

No essential oils means it is also a great option for pregnant guests, even in the first trimester. Mum, keen to sample the local ‘fayre’, enjoyed a facial from the Turus treatment menu which uses an oatmeal scrub and the repairing qualities of milk thistle for a distinctly Scottish therapy.

The dimly-lit spa is exquisite and has the feel of a Moroccan retreat. There’s a relaxation room, options to take afternoon tea and nine treatment rooms.

We also take advantage of an extensive thermal suite of heated relaxation pools and wet and dry heat rooms, which hotel guests enjoy free access to before 9am and after 6pm. Our treatments last 55 minutes, beginning with a foot massage and ending with a head massage. The whole experience is sublime.

We return to our rooms for a quick change before dinner, served in the Automobile Club’s former ballroom. The restaurant’s high ceilings, tall windows and mirrored bar make it easy to imagine the building’s grand past.

Decked out in red, black and grey, spacious dark wood tables and booths and comfortable Harris tweed chairs sit beneath bespoke lampshades and long velvet curtains, making for a special but informal experience.

The clientèle are a mix of hotel guests, Glasgow diners and groups on nights out. The restaurant has a buzz about it and feels like ‘somewhere to be’. Staff are extremely attentive and it is clear it is run like clockwork.

The appetising menu offers locally sourced seasonal food which, in keeping with the rest of Blythswood, combines the classic with the contemporary.

Mum chooses wild mushrooms on brioche, served with poached duck egg, mushroom ketchup and truffle foam (they’re fond of foams here) to start, followed by rump of lamb with a goats cheese cannelloni. I go for a salad of cous cous, golden raisins, sunflower seeds and broccoli, among other things, with a main course of perfectly poached chicken with apricot and curry espuma (another kind of foam) and lemon and coriander pilaf.

Cheese and biscuits is a perfect way to round off both the meal and our far too indulgent day and we leave the busy tables to their whiskies and cocktails in the bar while we retire to bed.

Only just over our filling meal from the night before, we return for breakfast the following morning – a choice of Scottish cooked and continental buffet to set us up for a day exploring Glasgow’s shops and art galleries.

The great thing about Blythswood is that it offers so much with such comfort and convenience. It is a plush base to explore the city.

TRAVEL FACTS

Double rooms from an average of £125. Visit www.blythswoodsquare.com or contact 0141 248 8888. First TransPennine Express operate intercity services across the north of England and into Scotland. Fares between Manchester and Glasgow start from £16 and can be booked with no admin fee from www.tpexpress.co.uk

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